Last year rumors were rampant that actress Satomi Ishihara was in a relationship with Tomohisa Yamashita.

The two worked together on the successful 2015 FUJI TV drama series “5-ji Kara 9-ji Made: Watashi ni Koi Shita Obōsan”, which is apparently when Satomi and Yamapi began their relationship. Throughout the past couple months many tabloids such as FRIDAY continued to report on the rumored relationship, with Yamapi being spotted going over to Satomi’s home many times during the week. One tabloid reporter even claims that the two have taken their relationship to the next level and are now semi-cohabited.

As usual Yamapi’s agency Johnny & Associates has been wishy-washy on the subject, but it’s said that the agency simply “tolerated” the relationship for the past year because it was just dating. Yamapi has dated many other female entertainers in the past. However, with the rumors that the two are now semi-cohabited whispers of marriage possibilities have started to stem from that which has Johnny’s very annoyed.

In the past, it’s been said that a lot of Johnny’s talents have postponed marriage due to the fear of fan backlash. Even normal dating is still handled very carefully, as seen with Mao Inoue and her long-time rumored boyfriend Jun Matumoto. Unless the agency changes their ways it’s very unlikely that the road ahead for Satomi and Yamapi will be easy.

SHARE

TAGS

This post is tagged with gossip, meaning it contains information that is purely speculation.

We post about gossip for the sake of discussing topics that are not often talked about on this site and how the Japanese entertainment industry interprets certain issues within the context of their culture.

Comments

Soyeon

honestly I think the dating and marriage BS is just a tool the agency uses to be crazy and wanting to have full control of the talent. as we saw with kimutaku clearly marriage didn’t stop his and smap’s career from flourishing. If they just debuted ok fine but these men are in their 30s

would the majority of fans REALLY be so mad that they stop fully supporting the talent/group if any of those 4 mentioned in the article got married? i highly doubt it

WD79

You didn’t know about the fan suicides and attempted suicides after Kimura announced his marriage?

Though tbh Yamapi isn’t that hot anymore, not like Kimura who’s like at the peak of his popularity when he got married. Less risk for suicidal fans IMO.

Soyeon

I know about the suicides, but it’s not like his career (or smap) was completely ruined. Still got all those drama roles, CM deals…few years later smap releases one of the best selling Japanese singles of all time.

Agree about Yamapi. Do you think fans would suicide if Matsujun got married?

Rising Sun

Kimura is just living a dream life. Got married, still married, have kids, still getting all those >20% drama ratings, SMAP still sell like crazy, SMAP still dominate the TV & etc..

About Yamapi, he did skip getting drama roles in 2016 but both of his dramas in 2015 has been getting good reviews and earn him Annual Nikkan awards for Best Actor which indicate his popularity is still has always been strong when he did something. And when I’m Your Destiny news surfaced, he trend better than Kame online. About Jun, I dont think so. Jun is not even the most popular member of Arashi and it hasnt been for a few years already. I think fans now probably already more mature (we can only hope)

Summersplash

With Inoue Mao? Fans will probably pay for the wedding and ask for ticketing

akai13phoenix

i may fly to japan just to see that XD

Audioslave

“People don’t commit suicide because an idol gets married, they commit suicide because they have mental health issues. If something as trivial as an idol marrying pushes them over the edge, it was only a matter of time before they found something to use as an excuse. Idols and people in the public eye shouldn’t have to tip toe around these people. They need professional help not enablers – YOU”

WD79

Yes of course I agree with this 100%. But in a society like Japan, it’s understandable if people feel responsible for something that’s indirectly not their fault. Doesn’t make it right, but understanding the situation is important so that everybody can find a way through it and around it. Tackling it heads on is not gonna work.

TBH, I really dont think the agency cares with merely rumours. I mean, Ryo has been caught in pictures with girls in the past but it didnt put dents to his career or popularity — and the agency fully aware of this fact. I think the one that will probably tick them off if any of them pull a Jin. I think they care more for illegal stuffs such as drugs or underage smoking.

“Yamapi has dated many other female entertainers in the past.” Again, I think the only rumoured relationship that actually happen is with Keiko since the press spotted them dating.

Mika

well JE couldn’t let go Yamapi that easily, he is still making cash.

nothingsover

Honestly, Yamapi has done alot of stuff to piss off fans in the past. The fans who have stuck with him up until now aren’t going to leave him just because he’s dating someone or if he gets married. And most people I’ve talked to said they’d be alot happier if Yamapi married someone like Ishihara Satomi as opposed to getting in scandals with gravure models or av actresses

mirin

This. Also, there’s the fact that Pi has always been linked with girls or caught out on dates all through his 20s to now his 30s – fans are very used to the fact that well, he has a love life …

Rising Sun

What are the stuffs that he did to piss of the fans other than dating rumours or the phone incident?

And has he ever getting into scandal with gravure models or av actresses??!

Fatima

well, im pretty sure you are refering to news right?
because yamapi has been pretty much obedient to johnny’s for a long time
and i dont really see why you say he piss off fans, the only reason i can think of
is because of news, but tbh i like yamapi with news or without news.

Rising Sun

i agree. Yamapi was pretty much a good and obedient guy bts. I think the piss off fan should refer to him leaving news. Aside from the phone incident of dating rumours, he didnt actually do anything scandalous that warrant hate from fans.

i guess the tabloid constantly like to refer him as a bad boy has truly imprinted the same image to people.

liuuu

Poor yamapi, when johnny’s let him get his happiness?lol Most his ex rumored girlfriends and pairing already have family.. Abiru Yu, Keiko, Maki.

trebletones

“allegedly annoyed”

WHY IS THIS SO FUNNY

phoe-enix

lmao, I know right XD I came here just to comment on that title

katy

Made me think of Wendy Williams lol

guest 1122

I’m pretty fine with Yamapi and Satomi get married. their babies will be beautiful :p

There’s a lot of rumors Jun, Sho, Morita Go and Okada Junichi all want to get married next but they’re being held back so I can see why they’re “allegedly” annoyed if these two are “allegedly” thinking about getting married too.

If it’s not like Okada situation (which is so bad his fans threaten to make him the next Fukuyama Masaharu lol) I don’t see the problem with marriage? Having idols in their 30s remain “pure” is really bullshit thinking.

those two have only been seen dating around lately. they don’t seem interested in marriage

WD79

Tbh, making Okada the next Fukuyama Masaharu is so much better than the suicides and attempted suicides during Kimura Takuya days.

hm

there’s a difference tho. okada is 37 now and kimutaku was 27. the closest example to that in today would be like yamada marrying 3 years from now while still in HSJ, even if his popularity isn’t close to kimutaku’s.

YOU

People don’t commit suicide because an idol gets married, they commit suicide because they have mental health issues. If something as trivial as an idol marrying pushes them over the edge, it was only a matter of time before they found something to use as an excuse. Idols and people in the public eye shouldn’t have to tip toe around these people. They need professional help not enablers.

WD79

Quoting from my reply above:

“Yes of course I agree with this 100%. But in a society like Japan, it’s understandable if people feel responsible for something that’s indirectly not their fault. Doesn’t make it right, but understanding the situation is important so that everybody can find a way through it and around it. Tackling it heads on is not gonna work.”

goingtojpn

Aren’t fans currently ASKING for their idols to be married when they reach 30? And specially if they like the girlfriend (like Mao and Satomi). I honestly hope this is a false rumor.

light

Not really. Some would be fine with it if they end up married but most definitely aren’t asking for one lol

WD79

Not all fans are like this. And the oldies are probably worried that the fan suicides and attempted suicides back when Kimura Takuya announced his marriage would happen happen again.

Audioslave

I’m probably a bad person but that’ll be just an excuse for them to off themselves. These celebs shouldn’t be taken accountable for the lives of mentally unstable (suicidal) and obsessive fans.

WD79

Yes celebs shouldn’t be taken accountable, but who are we to say that they won’t feel responsible? Celebs have quit the industry for something as trivial as a rumor, who are we to say that celebs won’t feel responsible, especially in a society like Japan where taking responsibility for something that’s not even their fault is a big thing.

Ki

If Johnny is pissed that’s because he is controlling all the idols, so if he let yampi go ahead and marry ishihara, the rest of johnnys (Like Jun, sho, etc) would say why yampi and not us. So he has to maintain his control, I know he had allowed a SMAP member before but this is different because popularity.

liuuu

They allowed Kokubun Taichi (TOKIO) and Nagano (V6) married last year, but yeah in yamapi’s case he’s a lot younger than them.
it will not easy for Jun or Arashi members as well.

Sea

30 years old is not young lmao
or they only can get marry in their 40’s?that’s suck.
If i remember right inohara and seto asaka married in his early 30. It was also unfair then?

liuuu

Early 30 is young for johnny’s lol
Many senpai in their late 30 and 40’s who still single.

I think what happened to Innochi was one time miracle.

Rising Sun

Its indeed a miracle as Asaka Seto is not even pregnant at that time. :O

I believe there are some oldsters in the agency who still remember the fan suicides and attempted suicides when Kimura announced his marriage. They’re probably just taking some precaution. Though Yamapi now is nowhere near the level of Kimura back then, so the agency is probably overreacting…

“Idols and people in the public eye shouldn’t have to tip toe around these people. They need professional help not enablers”

Kamen Chaser

I would be happy if they got married I’m just fine with it. Why would fans get mad at this? Why isn’t it ok for Yamapi to date or have a relationship with Ishihara, it’s Yamapi’s life and he can choose who to date. Are people really fans if they’re gonna be angered by Yamapi dating someone not named you.

Nif

She was rumoured to be in a very close terms (and even more…) with Takki too – no surprise, I suppose she/Takki/Yamapi could hang out because of a co-star relationship and a long term dad/son relationship… I prefer Ishihara/Yamapi pairing because Takki belongs to Tsubasa:-)

mirin

Well, I don’t know about Takki (since Pi mostly makes it sound like they only meet up on rare occasions) – I think these two probably hung out a lot because the 5 to 9 cast are close (it seems they met up as a group several times after the drama ended) plus both Satomi and Pi have a common friend in their co-star Tanaka Kei.

I still half-suspect that these could be photos of Pi coming/going from Satomi’s apartment after a group gathering, but in that case, I’d expect at least Satomi’s agency to clarify since the rumors are so persistent – does HoriPro usually do stuff like that?

liuuu

Idk but i have strong feeling that they’re really dating. If all the photos just for friends gathering johnny’s and horiPro will deny it already, not allowing the rumors grow this far like now, like that those two only best friend/close friend in gathering. They did it before for other talents. The silent in this yamapi/satomi rumors get me suspicious that they knew and in fact really tolerate the relationship. maybe because satomi is popular, johnny’s didn’t see her hold back to yamapi’s career, same with yamapi to horiPro, he’s popular and a johnny’s favorite.

ʕ￫ᴥ￩ʔ

JE idol’s messy personal lives are pretty well known, I feel like marriage would clean up their image~

MahiruNoYume

Honestly it’s pretty scary to think how fans can get- burning merchandise of the famous person they stan and even to the point of committing suicide just because the famous person wanted to be happy and make it known to the public that they are with someone… It’s pretty sad on both sides. Those famous people have to keep up an image for those fans, and those fans are neck-deep obsessed with the famous people :

Mayura

Honestly, it’s not healthy to keep feeding delusional fans that these idols are always single.

mirin

Definitely. But unless fans have been living under a rock, they should know he has a love life. I actually feel like it’s odder for him to not be dating someone than vice-versa ^^;

mirin

I kind of shipped them after seeing the 5 to 9 bts cuts so I hope it’s true. I doubt Johnnys cares much about Pi getting married or otherwise though. He’s in his thirties and not in a group so they don’t have to worry about him affecting the group’s popularity/endorsements. Plus, it’s not even clear if they intend to allow him to continue his music career after the Kame to Yamap gig is up … and I can’t see japanese drama viewers caring as much as outright idol fans about whether an actor is married.

Also, I doubt the fan hysteria caused by Kimura getting married at the peak of his popularity has any relevance here (not to mention, afaik, the suicides were rumoured) – Johnnys themselves should be well aware that no one in their stable has come close to the dude’s popularity in his hey day. Even Akanishi’s shotgun marriage in his 20s didn’t cause much ripples (although it did get him a lot of hate).

Hermione48fan

Am I the only one who didn´t love From 5 to 9?.Because I´ve been his fan since 2007, more or less, and I love most of his dramas, but somehow I didn´t feel this story. I know it was comedy but the relationship between the characters felt forced, well, I didn´t find it so funny as they tried to be and sometimes I like exagerated comedy but I guess not in this one. Is strange, Yamapi was my fav actor in the drama but I loved the secondary characters more.Don´t get me wrong, I don´t hate her at all, so I still wonder why I didn´t feel this drama, for romantic comedy,I think Buzzer Beat was so much better.

Jug’Crispy

It’s strange. I didn’t care much for Yamapi’s character in that drama. I watched it for yamapi and stayed for Satomi. She ended up being the reason I kept watching it lol. It was my first time watching her in a drama. Never had that happen lol.
Its because the drama was kinda annoying, but I ended up liking Satomi even tho Yamapi was my reason for watching it in the first place. 😁

mirin

I thought Pi’s character was amusing but yeah, Buzzer Beat was more engaging for me.

I actually didn’t ship Pi and Satomi in 5 to 9 that hard, not even from the promos they did (I think it’s because they brought along Kokoro most of the time and that kid is so adorable you can’t help focusing on him xD). But they were pretty cute together in the drama off-shots, especially for the ending scene.

Rising Sun

Yamapi still selling >100k copies of his singles and his albums are also not doing badly (for a solo act) — TOKIO & V6 sales are more low in the past and they still active even until now. So I dont think JE will ever stop his music career esp when he has that kind of face.

Where can I see 5 to 9 BTS scenes? Esp for the ending scene?

mirin

Johnnys has never been very rational though – probably because it seems like they’re still run like a family business in this day and age.

This Kame to Yamap thing is the first time he’s released a single in 4 years. And other than the best hits album Warner put out early last year, his last album was in 2014. We haven’t heard a peep from Warner since so I’d wager that if he’s going to continue releasing music, it won’t be with them.

Rising Sun

Well I like his acting career more so he should just focus on that. I’m not actually complaining

Rika

Tbh it would be really healthy for these delulu and over-possessive fans if their idols were allowed to marry. I can see how the younger, freshly debuted ones should be careful, there is still an image to sell, but all these guys above 30? Let’s remember last year’s ‘scandal’ with Ohno? I mean, how delusional and stupid can fans be to not let a man at the age of 35 have a girlfriend? I also will never understand the fangirls that say things alongisde the lines: I don’t mind him having a girlfriend, but not THIS girl (–> see Nino. Seems like his rumoured GF isn’t good enough)

It creeps me so out how here are women in their 30s and 40s themselves who cling to this pure image of their idols. Like…wtf?

Also the fangirls’ suicide because of KimuTaku’s marriage is not his fault. There is something deeply wrong with you, if you want to commit suicide over an idol’s marriage! (Newsflash: He is never going to look at you anyways! Better find a real boyfriend!)

Rising Sun

Who is Nino’s rumoured GF now? Nino’s news has always been so wild and funny and yet the guy is still happy doing his things on TV. All this senseless rumours are not going to affect them unless they really did taboo stuffs like cheating or etc

light

I guess still Itou Ayako, unless they broke up in the meantime. He had at least 4 known girlfriends and yet some fans still get messy about it, as if it was the first time.

WD79

Tbh, I prefer Ishihara with Takki since she’s close to him too.

Rising Sun

So basically, Takki also being caught going to her house also? Or Satomi & Takki being caught together by the paparazzi? Then, they all probably just friends. We can never know unless they themselves announced it

Kanojo

I don’t understand fans. Like, seriously, it’s as if they are controlling their idol’s lovelife.

MoocowPoorchick

I hope they get married and she retires. I’m so damn sick of seeing her face absolutely everywhere. -_-

Rising Sun

Everywhere? She’s not even the most popular Japanese actress now. You probably just have irrational dislike towards her.

MoocowPoorchick

I think it’s pretty obvious from my comment that I don’t like her. The simple reason is, that she is everywhere. She doesn’t have to be the most popular one to show up in dozens of shows and cm’s. Also, I’m not only talking about the last 3 weeks, but the last 5 years. It’s cool if you like her, but I will continue to hope that she follows Horikita Maki’s path ;)

Fatima

dont be such a hater xD i dont like mao inoue or yoshitaka yuriko and yet im not making hate comments or posting it online that i dont like them lol (except now because is an example)

Rising Sun

Why you dont like Inoue Mao? Did she do anything questionable?

Fatima

oh no i just cant seem to like her thats all, i dont follow her, maybe is her acting, i just cant stand her thats why i stay away from her movies and dramas and everything, if i see anything related to her i just ignore it lol

Rising Sun

I’m not even her fan lol. But I dont think she’s everywhere for the last 5 years. She’s everywhere more than Ueto Aya? I’m genuinely curious.

Fatima

fuck yall haters lol xD i love satomi <3 she's so cute, nice and very feminine, and she's also a wondeful actress. she makes a wonderful couple with yamapi <3 i support this 100% there's nobody who would make a better couple with yamapi <3 omg i so love this <3 i just hope they wait and be patient because i dont want this to ruin either of their careers, especially yamapi's since johnny's is very strict about everything, if anyone's career would suffer the most is yamapi's so i just hope they are careful, we don't want no more Jin akanishi's 2.0 going around and doing whatever they want. I just wish them the best <3 omg

I don’t get it. Why does Johnny get upset that his idols are in love and wants to be married yet he lets Arashi get away with everything? Honestly, YamaPi has been pretty decent so far and hasn’t done anything terrible other than date girls. Favouritism much?

I’ve always felt like JE Idols have quite a rough life after entering the agency.

Kyoya

i love satomi! she’s so cute and i adore her bubbly personality.
but after watching code blue, im low’key shipping yamapi and gakky. lol
but whatever makes them happy, i hope that their agencies would let them be.

An_dromeda

JE shoudl realise P’chan is not 13 but 32… who are they to take decisions on his personal matter… this just pissed me off so much that i cant be excited of the fact that these 2 are dating!!